ion, we hurried them all within the rooms, and guarded the doors
with our pistols.

The whole manoeuvre had not occupied two minutes but before its
completion a wild cry announced that the ruse was detected. Vengeful
yells rang over the town; and the warriors, leaping down from their
houses, ran towards the temple.

Arrows began to hurtle around us; but above all other sounds pealed the
notes of the bugle, summoning our comrades to the attack.

Quick upon the signal they were seen debouching from the woods and
coming down at a gallop.

When within two hundred yards of the houses, the charging horsemen
divided into two columns, and wheeled round the town, with the intention
of attacking it on both sides.

The Indians hastened to defend the skirts of the village; but in spite
of their arrow-flights, which dismounted several, the horsemen closed
in, and, flinging themselves from their horses, fought hand to hand
among the walls. The shouts of defiance, the sharp ringing of rifles,
and the louder reports of the escopettes, soon announced that the battle
had fairly begun.

A large party, headed by El Sol and Saint Vrain, had ridden up to the
temple. Seeing that we had secured the captives, these too dismounted,
and commenced an attack upon that part of the town; clambering up to the
houses, and driving out the braves who defended them.

The fight now became general. Shouts and sounds of shots rent the air.
Men were seen upon high roofs, face to face in deadly and desperate
conflict. Crowds of women, screaming and terrified, rushed along the
terraces, or ran out upon the plain, making for the woods. Frightened
horses, snorting and neighing, galloped through the streets, and off
over the open prairie, with trailing bridles; while others, inclosed in
corrals, plunged and broke over the walls. It was a wild scene--a
terrific picture!

Through all, I was only a spectator. I was guarding a door of the
temple in which were our own friends. My elevated position gave me a
view of the whole village, and I could trace the progress of the battle
from house to house. I saw that many were falling on both sides, for
the savages fought with the courage of despair. I had no fears for the
result. The whites, too, had wrongs to redress, and by the remembrance
of these were equally nerved for the struggle. In this kind of
encounter they had the advantage in arms. It was only on the plains
that their savage foes were fear